NOTARY911 doesn’t provide or help to obtain New York birth certificates or letters of exemplification.

As I mentioned in my previous article, New York State has two separate systems for recording births and deaths - one serving New York City's five boroughs and the other serving all other municipalities in the state.

Types of Birth Certificates

There are two types of birth certificates that you can request:

- Short Form: This is the most commonly requested certificate and can be used for most domestic purposes. It includes your or your child's first and last name, place of birth, date of birth, sex at birth, and mother and father's first and last name.

- Long Form (also known as Vault-certified Copy of a Birth Certificate, or a Vault Birth Certificate): This certificate includes additional information. It is typically used for international purposes like dual citizenship, international adoptions, and international marriage. It is generally used for travel, passport, proof of citizenship, social security, driver's license, school registration, personal identification, and other legal purposes. It requires an apostille to use this birth certificate in a different country.

Who can order a NYC Birth Certificate?

The New York City Health Department is responsible for issuing birth certificates to all individuals born within the city. Although you can request the birth certificate by mail, the NYC Department of Health strongly suggests doing it online Using the NYC Health Department's Vital Records Portal through their authorized partner, VitalChek.

Please note that you can only order a birth certificate online if the following conditions are met:

1. The birth certificate is for you or your child, and your name is listed on the certificate.

2. You or your child were born in New York City (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, or Staten Island).

3. The name on your certificate matches the name on your credit or debit card you will use for payment. If you are a woman, your first name should match. Your first and last name should match if you are a man. As a security measure, the certificate will be sent to the address connected to the card.

4. If you have legally changed your name for reasons other than marriage, and your certificate has already been amended with the NYC Dept of Health Corrections Unit.

You'll need to meet all of the above conditions to be able to place an order online and will need to order through mail or in person.

How do you order a Birth Certificate Online Using VitalCheck?

1. Go to the VitalChek website and select "Birth Certificate" as the type of record you want to order.

Once you place the order, you will receive the confirmation email with a pin, a list of required ID documents you must upload to the website, and a link.